Just steps down from my favourite “insider” izakaya, Teyandei, is another “insider” spot for cocktails…the These Library Lounge. Near the (in)famous Roppongi area, These is so subtly marked that it is easy to miss. It’s quirky, cool crowd likes it that way – it’s the kind of place that is known mostly through word of mouth, from friends of friends. And this is exactly how I discovered it on my last trip to Tokyo.

Eclectically decorated with endless rows of books, comfy sofas and soft lighting, These is a low key hideaway where those “in the know” go to hang out for cocktails and late night, end-of-the-evening sessions. Secret alcoves and hidden rooms add to the drama and mystery of the place, but it still manages to keep a light-hearted and fun vibe.

These is known for their fresh fruit cocktails which appear on a menu in keeping with the bookish yet whimsical theme of the bar. But there are just as many serious cocktail drinkers sipping whisky and the like. This homage to books and cocktails is appropriately summed up in the back of the menu with a mission statement of sorts, “We like to think that getting to know books is just as important as getting to know people.”